BattlefieldsDanes Sack London 851
Early Medieval

Danes Sack London 851

851
Middlesex, England
Also known as: Viking sack of London 851 · Berhtwulf of Mercia flees the Danes
Era
Early Medieval
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Middlesex, England
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Mercia (Berhtwulf)
Forces
London garrison and Mercian forces
VS
Victor
Danes
Forces
Danish army from Thanet
Outcome
London sacked; Berhtwulf of Mercia put to flight; Canterbury sacked
The Battle

History & Significance

In 851 the Danish army that had overwintered on Thanet sacked Canterbury and then London, putting Berhtwulf of Mercia to flight. The sack of London, then in Mercian territory, demonstrated the scale of Danish ambition. The army then crossed the Thames into Surrey where it was destroyed at Acleah by Aethelwulf.

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